Question

use sig figs to answer the following: (find the cut off)
56,400 - 320 =
55,100
56100
58,080
56,080

Explanation:

Step1: Perform subtraction

$$56400 - 320=56080$$

Step2: Check significant figures rules for subtraction

When subtracting, the result should be rounded to the least - precise decimal place. Here, \(56400\) (the least - precise number in terms of the right - most non - zero digit's place, which is the hundreds place) and \(320\) (also has its least - precise digit in the tens place, but when subtracting \(56400-320 = 56080\), we consider the rules for significant figures in subtraction. In the context of significant figures for whole numbers without decimal points, we look at the position of the last non - zero digit. \(56400\) has its last non - zero digit in the hundreds place (if we consider it as \(5.64\times10^{4}\) in scientific notation, the significant figures are 3: 5,6,4). \(320\) has 2 significant figures (3 and 2). But when subtracting \(56400-320 = 56080\), if we assume the original numbers are given with certain significant - figure implications (for whole numbers without decimals, trailing zeros can be ambiguous, but if we consider the subtraction result \(56080\), and if we assume the problem is following the rule of keeping the number to the same place as the least - precise number in the subtraction. \(56400\) (hundreds place for the non - zero digit's position conceptually) and \(320\) (tens place, but when subtracting \(56400-320=56080\), if we consider the significant - figure rules for addition/subtraction (the result should be rounded to the same decimal place as the least - precise number. Here, if we rewrite \(56400 = 5.64\times 10^{4}\) (3 significant figures) and \(320=3.2\times10^{2}\) (2 significant figures). The subtraction \(56400 - 320=56080\). If we assume the problem is using the rule of significant figures for whole numbers where we count the number of non - zero digits (for \(56400\) as 3, \(320\) as 2), but in subtraction of whole numbers, another approach is to look at the place value. \(56400-320 = 56080\), and if we consider the significant figures in the context of the problem's options (assuming the first number \(56400\) has 3 significant figures (5,6,4) and the second \(320\) has 2 (3,2)), the result should be rounded to 3 significant figures. \(56080\approx56100\) (when rounded to 3 significant figures, as \(56080\) with 3 significant figures: the first three non - zero digits 5,6,1. The fourth digit 8 is greater than 5, so we round up the third digit 0 to 1).

Answer:

56100